Harvest season is nearly upon us across New York wine country. In fact, I’ve heard reports of grapes destined for sparkling wine coming in this week. It’s a busy time of year at every winery — and it has been ...

Not that long ago, Raphael produced what I considered the benchmark sauvignon blanc on the North Fork of Long Island. It was fruit-forward but not too ripe or fruity. It was minerally but not austere and flavorless. Then, wi...

This past winter was a rough one across much of the northeast, with lots of snow and some of the coldest temperatures in recent years. As my colleague Evan Dawson wrote last month, those temperatures will have a not-insignifica...

Merliance (formerly known as the Long Island Merlot Alliance) has named offers for a new two-year term — ending in June 2015 — based on a vote of members. Roman Roth, partner, winemaker and technical director at Wol...

Challenging growing season shows here on the nose, which is surprisingly subdued. Light aromas of fresh and candied lemon are joined by subtle notes of minty herbs. Lighter bodied as well, there are mild flavors of citrus and u...

Offers aromas of slightly bruised pear, apple, white flowers and spice. The palate is less interesting — showing generic fruitiness that is somewhat stale — with a bit of a floral note and sharp acidity seems a bit...

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief When Raphael winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich released his first Naturale — a 2008 white blend (read the NYCR review) made without the addition of sugar or acid, without filtration or fining,...

Verace, a newly opened Italian restaurant in Islip, NY with three local wines on tap. By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Photos courtesy of Verace I think we've all been there — in a restaurant that may or may n...

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief Photo courtesy of Raphael Long Island chardonnay (and there is a lot of it planted and made) can be delicious, but it's rarely distinctive. I don't know anyone who visits Lo...